---
id: mac-storage-basics.is-apple-silicon-storage-encrypted-without-filevault
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/is-apple-silicon-storage-encrypted-without-filevault
category: "Mac storage basics"
subcategory: "Erasing, encryption and selling a Mac"
question: "Is my Apple silicon Mac's storage encrypted even without FileVault?"
alt_questions:
  - "apple silicon hardware encryption"
  - "mac ssd encrypted by default"
  - "why turn on filevault m1"
  - "is data encrypted on mac without filevault"
  - "secure enclave storage encryption"
short_answer: "The storage is always hardware-encrypted, but without FileVault it unlocks at startup with no password. FileVault ties unlocking to your login password."
tags: ["encryption", "apple silicon", "filevault"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-is-filevault", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/does-deleting-a-file-on-an-ssd-erase-it-securely"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Is my Apple silicon Mac's storage encrypted even without FileVault?

The internal storage on Apple silicon Macs is always encrypted by the hardware. **FileVault** adds the important part for you: it ties unlocking to your login password, so someone with the Mac but without your password can't read your data. Without FileVault, the data unlocks at startup without a password.

Turning FileVault on is quick on these Macs and has no noticeable performance cost. See [FileVault](https://storagestudio.us/faq/mac-storage-basics/what-is-filevault).